Coming Home
by JacAvoy85
Summary: I read a story on Kink Meme where the OP wanted to see Solider!Erik come home early and surprise Charles while he was in his classroom. Unfortunately, it seems to have been left unfinished, and it never got to the reunion scene, which naturally, broke my heart. So, this is my attempt to rectify that ending they never got. Charles/Erik. Quick Fic. More info on the inside.


**A/N: So, I read a story on Kink Meme where the OP wanted to see Solider!Erik come home early and surprise Charles while he was teaching in his classroom. Unfortunately, it seems to have been left unfinished (hasn't been updated in almost a year), and it never got to the reunion scene, which naturally, broke my heart. It was such a beautiful story too. So, this is my attempt to rectify that ending they never got (and because I cannot stop thinking about it, ugh, my heart!). **

**Just a short, quick fic. Also: Warnings for angst and a lot of sappiness. Oh **_**boys**_**. **

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Even though they'd been married for two years, together for five, Charles still felt the need to apologize for opening his mail.

"I'm sorry," the burnet said as tears rolled down his cheeks, "I saw the return address. I just-" was as far as he got before another sob wrenched its way through his body. Charles covered his face with one hand as the other held onto the piece of paper, which was now trembling.

Erik looked down at his wrecked husband— who was currently seated at their kitchen table; face buried and sobbing— as the same sinking feeling started to fill in the pit his stomach. He knew, he already knew.

He didn't even have to read the letter to know what it said.

Erik Lehnsherr had been called upon to serve his country.

…

"You come back to me Erik Lehnsherr," Charles said/breathed against his lover's mouth, holding onto the man like the anchor he was. "You come back, you hear me?" He tightened his hold on Erik's shirt, desperation heavy in his eyes (and even heavier in his heart).

Erik held Charles in return— both hands on the smaller man's upper arms— knowing full well how difficult it would be when the time finally came to walk away: which was growing nearer with every passing minute. Every passing breath. "Always," he said in return, softly. "I will always come back to you." He pressed his lips to Charles', kissing the man for all he was worth, for what would be the last time in a very long time. Possibly even the last time ever.

_No_. He wasn't even going to let that thought register. He _will_ be kissing Charles again. _Not_ kissing Charles again was not an option.

It was never an option.

"I love you," he told the man who had his heart, body and soul. "I love you Charles Xavier Lehnsherr and I will always come back to you; no matter how far I go. No ocean could keep me away from you if it tried." He would swim it, if he had to, just to get back to Charles. Erik's always been told he has very shark-like qualities to him.

A small sob broke from Charles' mouth as he pressed his body closer to his husband's, holding his lover to his words, both men just embracing each other until Erik's flight would be called. It still felt like a dream, something unreal, something that couldn't possibly be happening but was. It was really happening. Charles always knew this was a possibility: knew that Erik might have to go someday- -the man did tell him after all in the beginning of their relationship- -but Charles still couldn't believe this was real.

He'd never wanted to wake up from a dream more now than in his entire life.

Only he wasn't dreaming. This wasn't a dream, as much as he'd hoped. Erik really was standing there in his army fatigues, duffle bag by his feet and a plane ticket that he would soon be using; holding Charles like it may be the last.

Charles couldn't help but be selfish this one time and think: _I wish he didn't have to go. I wish this weren't happening_.

It was going to be the longest two years of both their lives.

…

He tried not to, but he couldn't help himself: Charles cried that night, holding Erik's pillow, wearing Erik's oversized shirt- -the one he asked his lover not to wash, so he'd have something that smelled like him, however long the scent would last. Certainly not two years, the smell was sure to fade by then- -and wondered if Erik were somewhere doing the same.

Probably not. Well, probably not crying at least. Erik had always been stronger than Charles; tended not to let his emotions show too much. The man didn't like to show his weaknesses. Charles knew Erik would be hurting though, just like him, but he had different ways of showing his pain. Ways that didn't involve tears.

It's okay though, Charles didn't fault him, he knew Erik didn't cry easily. Nor did he feel like less of a man for crying himself over missing his lover. There was nothing wrong with a good cry every now and then.

And that night, that was just what Charles did, to get himself through the hurt.

God he missed Erik so much.

…

It got easier, as the months went on. He still missed Erik with every fiber in his being, but time passing made it more tolerable, made him realize that he was just that much closer to seeing his lover again. They corresponded, as often as they could, and that kept Charles sane for the most part, but he still missed his other half like he was missing part of his soul.

Soul mate; Erik _was_ his soul mate, and he knew this to the very core of his bones. If he were to ever lose the man, it really would be like losing his soul; doomed to walk this earth forever alone like the purgatory hell that it would be.

Losing Erik was not an option; it would never be an option.

…

A year had passed, and Charles still found it hard to adjust. (Does one ever truly adjust?) Life went on as normal, as it would always; only Charles felt that part him missing. Felt Erik missing. He missed waking up next to the man. Missed the feel of their bodies tangled together in the sheets. Missed the way Erik would brush a gentle kiss to Charles' forehead before getting out of the bed for the day (way too early if you asked Charles). Missed the way Erik would smile at him before leaving for work, always promising to be home soon. Missed the way Erik held him in bed after a vigorous round of sex, both men still breathing hard and sweaty, eyes locked and bodies sated and satisfied. Missed the way Erik smelled, even after a long run (_"Christ Charles, let me at least shower first." "Mm, I like your musky smell, it's very manly."). _He even missed the way him and Erik would fight, and the way Erik would always find him after and apologize, even when it was Charles who was in the wrong. Erik just couldn't stand to see the man he loved mad at him.

There was no other way around it: he just plain fucking missed Erik, no analogies needed.

Charles was teaching, like he did most days- -trying to keep his mind off the one thing that he couldn't (funny how it always seems to work that way)- -he turned from writing something on the whiteboard, half wondering how he even got through his classes in the first place when all he could seem to think about was Erik, and let out a sigh.

Erik, who was the center of his universe and more. Erik, who was the man he'd been searching for his entire life and didn't even know it until the day they bumped into each other while both of them were running for the same cab. Erik, who smiled so brightly (and widely) that it almost outshined Charles'. Erik, who literally was Charles' polar opposite (Raven had once joked that Erik was south because that's the direction he was headed for when he died), but even that just somehow made them even stronger. Erik, who was the only person Charles ever wanted to wake up next to every day for the rest of his life. Erik, who _rocked_ Charles' world when the man proposed to him in front of all his colleagues that September day, causing Charles to cry tears of joy. Erik, who was standing in the back of Charles' classroom, acting like it was normal to be wearing his army fatigues and-

Wait.

The dry erase marker in Charles' hand hit the floor as a gasp tore through his body. "Erik?" he breathed, or thought he breathed, he wasn't sure; it was becoming increasingly difficult to do anything besides stare. And now even that was becoming more and more difficult as the tears blurred his vision.

Could it be? Was this real?

With trembling legs Charles found himself making his way closer to the only man who will ever have his heart- -the only man he would _allow_ to have his heart- -as a sob broke free from his body. Sod it, he didn't care that he was crying in front of all his students. He just didn't care.

Erik was smiling impossibly wide as Charles made his way closer. Most of his students were now smiling as well at the reunion (now that they knew what was going on) and a few even had tears in their eyes. But Charles could only see Erik; he could only see the man he didn't think he'd be seeing for another year.

"Erik," he sobbed as he flung himself into the arms of the man he loved so dearly. And Erik was there to catch him- -he'd always be there to catch him- -as he wrapped his arms around Charles' body and hugged the man harder then he'd ever before. Even harder than the day Charles said yes to his marriage proposal. Erik still felt stupid at it, proposing in front of all of Charles' colleagues like that, at that function. But Raven had ensured him it was what Charles had always dreamt of.

"Charles," Erik breathed out, equally as ragged, as he held his lover in his arms. Charles buried his face into his husband's neck and breathed; inhaling the scent he so missed. Sure their home had Erik's scent all over it, but nothing compared to the real thing. Nothing compared to this, this right here.

With a shaky breath, Charles managed to pull himself away from his lover—he was still in the middle of teaching after all (but he was pretty sure his students would understand this one time discretion)—hands still fisted in Erik's shirt uniform (he wasn't letting him go; not now, not ever), and eyes locked on the taller man's.

"You're home," he breathed, tears still spilling from his eyes.

"Yes," Erik said softly, eyes just as firmly locked on his lover's, "and I'm here to stay."

THE END


End file.
